The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry plans to help small and midsize companies implement measures against workplace harassment from September as they have lagged behind large companies in taking such steps.
The ministry plans to provide about 100 firms nationwide with support for such purposes as setting up consultation services and creating internal rules by dispatching certified social insurance labor consultants and other specialists free of charge.
In fiscal 2017, the number of bullying and harassment cases in the workplace reported to labor bureaus across the nation hit a record high of 72,067, up 2.5 times over the past decade.
Efforts against harassment vary widely depending on the size of the company. In a 2016 survey by the ministry, 88 percent of the companies with 1,000 or more employees said they took measures while 26 percent of the firms that employed 99 people or less said they did so.
In March this year, a panel of experts at the ministry pointed to the need for support, attributing little progress at small and midsize companies to their labor shortages and lack of expertise.
The ministry included 27 million yen in its initial budget for this fiscal year to support smaller firms in their efforts to tackle workplace harassment. This month, it began seeking applications from companies that want specialists to be dispatched. Certified social insurance labor consultants and industrial counselors who have received training by the ministry, among others, will be dispatched from September.
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